Panax ginseng C.A. Mey. (Araliaceae), which has been known in China for more than 4000 years, occupies a particular place among tonic remedies. Pharmacological investigations of the roots have shown that the basic effect of ginseng's action is its capacity to increase the nonspecific resistance of the organism to various untoward influences. In addition to ginseng, another plant of the Araliaceae family is used in a similar manner and is known as Siberian ginseng, Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Maxim.). Its roots have been very extensively investigated by Russian scientists. Ginseng is reported to be shorter in duration and weaker in activity when compared to E. semicosus in respect to stimulant and tonic effects. 13 Chinese scientists have claimed that China Produced E. senticosus can exert a definite anti fatigue action. Less extensive studies have been reported on the berries of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (Magnoliaceae). for its adaptogenic properties. The main objective of the work reported in the following pages was to design and test a simpler and easier animal test model whereby multiple physiologic parameters such as Tn EKG and respiratory rates could be continuously and concurrently monitored. It was desired that the test model could be used repeatedly and rapidly to serve as a screen for all potential adaptogenic plants and their derivatives and extracts.

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Many products are harvested from the forests of the United States in addition to timber. These non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are plants, parts of plants, or fungi that are harvested from within and on the edges of natural, disturbed or managed forests. Often, NTFPs are harvested from public forests for the socio-economic benefit they provide to rural collectors. Social science and market research methods were used to examine the extent that NTFPs are addressed in national forest management plans, identify and explore issues that affect their management, and determine the attitudes and perceptions of forest managers at various levels within the U.S. Forest Service. Non-timber forest products have not been considered in national forest management plans to the extent that have other forest resources. Fewer that 25 percent of the current management plans for the national forests of eastern United States address NTFPs. However, the Forest Service Directive System provides sufficient policy and procedural direction at the national and regional level for the management for NTFPs and legislation enacted in 2000 directs the Forest Service to develop a pilot program to beginning managing for these products. Managers with expertise and education in botany, wildlife, recreation, and wilderness had significantly more positive attitude toward managing for NTFPs than did managers with a more traditional (timber-based) educational background. A regression model of intention to include NTFPs in the forest management plans was developed using data from forest managers and based on the Theory of Reasoned Action. Both attitude and perception were found to be significant determinants of behavior intention. A common perception among forest managers is that NTFP management is not an issue of public concern. Also, managers do not perceive that the lack of management is a problem. Without a visible and vocal constituency, the impetus for change must necessarily come from within the organization. Efforts by the U.S. Forest Service to manage for NTFPs will be hampered by a lack of information and expertise. But, the activities of more progressive national forests suggest that sufficient knowledge does exist for the agency to take a more proactive approach to management. / Ph. D.

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Biological screening of extracts of various bryophytes showed that the species Dicranum fulvum gave extracts with activity in both <u>in vitro</u> and <u>in vivo</u> bioassays. This plant was thus selected for extraction and fractionation, monitored by i<u>in vitro</u> bioassays. Isolation was guided by a combination of bioassay and chemical methods, and led to the isolation of three compounds, betulin, 9,l9- cyclolanostâ 23â eneâ 3,25â diol, and B-sitosterol. Purification was achieved by open column, flash column, gel filtration, thin layer chromatography, the chromatotron and crystallization. The isolated compounds were identified by comparisons of spectroscopic data with those of authentic samples and the matching of experimental and literature melting points and optical rotations. / Master of Science

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No / Cassia siamea L. (Fabaceae) was identified from the southwest Nigerian ethnobotany as a remedy for febrile illness. This led to the bioassay-guided fractionation of stem bark of the plant extract, using the parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay and multi-resistant strain of Plasmodium falciparum (K1) for assessing the in vitro antimalarial activity. Emodin and lupeol were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction by a combination of chromatographic techniques. The structures of the compounds were determined by spectroscopy, co-spotting with authentic samples and comparison with literature data. Both compounds were found to be the active principles responsible for the antiplasmodial property with IC50 values of 5 µg/mL, respectively.

Yes / Cancer is now the second-leading cause of mortality and morbidity, behind only heart disease, necessitating urgent development of (chemo)therapeutic interventions to stem the growing burden of cancer cases and cancer death. Plants represent a credible source of promising drug leads in this regard, with a long history of proven use in the indigenous treatment of cancer. This study therefore investigated Anacardium occidentale, one of the plants in a Nigerian Traditional Medicine formulation commonly used to manage cancerous diseases, for cytotoxic activity. Bioassay-guided fractionation, spectroscopy, Alamar blue fluorescence-based viability assay in cultured HeLa cells and microscopy were used. Four compounds: zoapatanolide A (1), agathisflavone (2), 1, 2-bis (2,6-dimethoxy-4-methoxybenzoyl) ethane (Anacardicin, 3) and methyl gallate (4) were isolated, with the most potent being zoapatanolide A with an IC50 value of 36.2 ± 9.8 μM in the viability assay. To gain an insight into the likely molecular basis of their observed cytotoxic effects, Autodock Vina binding free energies of each of the isolated compounds with seven molecular targets implicated in cancer development (MAPK8, MAPK10, MAP3K12, MAPK3, MAPK1, MAPK7 and VEGF), were calculated. Pearson correlation coefficients were obtained with experimentally-determined IC50 in the Alamar blue viability assay. While these compounds were not as potent as a standard anti-cancer compound, doxorubicin, the results provide reasonable evidence that the plant species contains compounds with cytotoxic activity. This study provides some evidence of why this plant is used ethnobotanically in anti-cancer herbal formulations and justifies investigating Nigerian medicinal plants highlighted in recent ethno-botanical surveys. / This work was supported by a British Council Researcher Links Travel Grant 2013 to TBJ, a South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF) Grant No 98345, 2016 to FRVH and an academic staff funding provided to AAF by the School of Pharmacy, University of Bradford, UK.

No / Alangium lamarkii is traditionally used in India for the treatment of malaria. Partial activity guided-fractionation of the basic chloroform fraction of the methanolic extract of the bark led to the isolation of a novel tubulosine analogue, 10-demethyl-9ˊ-N-methyltubulosine (1), for which the trivial name tubulosatine is suggested. In addition, the known A. lamarkii constituents, tubulosine (2), cephaeline and emetine were isolated as potent antiplasmodial and cytotoxic constituents, but 1 was up to 1000-fold less potent than the former alkaloids against both malaria parasites and human cancer cell lines. The compounds were active against both chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant malaria parasites, but no selective toxicity was observed towards malaria parasites compared with cancer cells with any of the alkaloids. Further work to explore the basis for the relatively weak biological activities of 1 would be worthwhile. Betulinic acid, stigmasterol and its 3-O-glucoside were isolated from the neutral chloroform fraction of the methanolic extract. / ACU, UK (Commonwealth Scholarship, Ref. No.: INCS-2004-144).